Connected failing charter schools don't get closed down, they get "exemptions" or get "recycled"

[Hannah Bell]

Harlem Day School Charter Passes the Lemon to Democracy Prep

WOW- a new way to just recycle - a -charter!
so much for the " close 'em down if they are not working" golden rule of charters.

We are closing dozens and dozens of community schools but the bad charters linger like a bad lunch in a tad of schemes and re-organizations!

***

Harlem Day, which opened in 2001, is one of the city's oldest charter schools, and one of its worst performing. Mr. Lambert, who has been the chairman of the school's board since its inception, acknowledges that he presided over "a long line of disappointments," including repeatedly picking the wrong principals to lead the school. "We've had a very difficult time finding competent leadership," he said.

Hannah: Instead of shutting the school down, as the charter regs supposedly mandate, the school will just get new management.

After Mr. Lambert's suggestion several months ago, SUNY asked charter operators for applications to take over Harlem Day. Only one applied: Democracy Prep Public Schools, which had the highest-ranked middle school in the city this year based on improvement in student performance. Seth Andrew, founder and superintendent at Democracy Prep, said he is prepared to turn around Harlem Day.

http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/2011/01/harlem-day-school-charter-passes-lemon.html


Hannah: And who is Seth Andrew? Why, he's the charter school czar whose contracts weren't renewed in Rhode Island, apparently because he skimmed too much money & hired uncertified teachers in violation of law.

CUMBERLAND, R.I. -- The Rhode Island Mayoral Academies, an umbrella organization that supports charter schools, has parted ways with its operator, Democracy Prep/Democracy Builders, which has run Democracy Prep Blackstone Valley since 2009...

In an interview, RIMA spokesman Bill Fischer said the two sides were unable to agree to terms after the founder of Democracy Prep, Seth Andrew, requested more money to manage the school.

Andrew had drawn the ire of Gist and RIMA's executive director Michael Magee earlier this fall, when he announced in a public forum that not all of the teachers he had hired at Democracy Prep Blackstone Valley were certified.

http://newsblog.projo.com/2010/12/charter-school-operator-board.html


Meanwhile, failing Ross Global Charter petitions to be exempted from the "failing charters close" rule:

http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/2011/01/treat-public-schools-like-ross-global.html


And Leonie Haimson (Director, Class Size Matters) says Harlem is being "reserved" for the same politically-connected charter operations getting the special deals:


I have been told that the DOE intends to save all the available school space in Harlem from now on for expansion of three charter chains:

Harlem Success, Democracy Prep and KIPP.

I’m not sure what will happen if another politically connected charter school comes calling asking for space, but this is what DOE educrats high up on the food chain have told others. - leonie

http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/2011/01/harlem-day-school-charter-passes-lemon.html

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Keep fighting the good fight, Hannah!